• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Med Diet
  • Subscribe
The Matbakh
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Med Diet
  • Subscribe
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • About
    • Recipes
    • Med Diet
    • Subscribe
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Appetizers

    Fried Cheese and Za'atar Spring Rolls

    By Samara・Published: Jan 7, 2021・Updated: Jun 4, 2021・Post may have affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    These fried cheese and za'atar spring rolls are quick, easy, vegetarian, and always a hit at any event. I love quick appetizers whenever I have people coming over. Almost everyone loves fried food, especially if it involves cheese, and the za'atar puts the perfect twist on a classic appetizer.

    za'atar and cheese fried spring rolls

    You can have them with breakfast, lunch, or dinner; don't be afraid to get creative with your fillings.

    You can use a mix of cheese, add olives, tomatoes, it's really up to you. I think they're great on their own, especially dipped in some labneh. If you like these fried cheese spring rolls, try these fried cheese samosas, beef samosas, and beef sambousek.

    What I Love About This Recipe

    There's just something about the crispy spring roll, the melted cheese, and the taste of za'atar together that makes these spring rolls just drool-worthy. With just 4 ingredients, you'll have the perfect appetizer. They're SO easy to make, and you can make them ahead and freeze them for whenever you're in the mood for a cheesy bite of za'atar goodness.

    Ingredient Notes

    • Spring Roll Pastry: You'll find these in the frozen section at your local grocery store or Asian market. They come in different sizes, and you can use whichever size you find or prefer. Just thaw and start rolling.
    • Oil: Use any type of oil with a high smoke point. Some options are canola oil, vegetable oil, and frying oil.
    square spring roll wrappers
    heat frying oil
    • Cheese: I usually use shelal cheese for this recipe, but you can use any kind of cheese you like.
    • Za'atar: This is a common Middle Eastern spice mix which is made differently depending on the country. My favorite kinds are red za'atar from Aleppo and green za'atar from Jordan.
    shredded cheese for cheese and za'atar spring rolls
    different types of za'atar spice

    How To Make Fried Cheese and Za'atar Spring Rolls

    Thaw spring roll wrappers. Place a tablespoon of cheese and a teaspoon of za'atar on the bottom edge of the wrapper, leaving some space on the sides. 

    add the shredded cheese on the spring roll wrapper
    add some za'atar spice on the shredded cheese

    Fold the edges over the filling and roll tightly. Seal by dipping your finger in water, then place the spring rolls seam side down while you finish rolling them all.

    fold the sides of the spring roll wrapper
    seal the spring roll with some water

    Heat the oil. You'll need just enough to submerge the spring rolls in (you'll know it's ready when you place the back of a wooden spoon in and the oil starts to bubble).

    In batches, drop the spring rolls in, stirring while they fry until golden. Remove spring rolls with a slotted spoon.

    fry the cheese and za'atar spring rolls in oil
    turn until all of the edges are golden brown

    Place the cooked spring rolls on a paper towel and repeat. 

    lay the spring rolls on a paper towel

    Tips and Tricks

    • Don't overfill the spring roll wrappers. Depending on the size of your spring roll wrappers, you want to add just enough cheese and za'atar so that they don't swell up too much when you fry them. My spring roll wrappers are 7.5" x 7.5" (20cm x 20cm), and about a tablespoon of cheese with a teaspoon of za'atar is the perfect ratio.
    • Fold and roll tightly. To prevent the filling from spilling out, fold the edges tightly and make sure you tuck and roll tightly.
    • Don't buy rice paper. Specifically, look for spring roll wrappers. Rice paper is also common, but it's completely different and won't give you the same results.
    • Stir while frying. To make sure they fry and crisp up evenly, use a frying spatula or slotted spoon to stir them around during the frying process.
    • Place on a paper towel after frying. To get the ultimate crispy fried spring rolls, place them on a paper towel immediately after frying. This will absorb excess oil and avoid soggy spring rolls.
    fried cheese and za'atar spring rolls

    Variations

    This recipe is super customizable, and you can basically use any type of cheese you want. My favorite is shelal cheese, which is slightly salty and melts into the perfectly stretchy cheese pull. It's a very common Syrian breakfast cheese, and since za'atar is also usually served at the breakfast table, they compliment each other very well.

    Some other cheese suggestions:

    • Mozzarella: For a more neutral flavor and the ultimate cheese pull. For best results, use fresh mozzarella cut into strips slightly smaller than the size of your spring roll pastry.
    • Halloumi: This type of cheese doesn't melt, but gives a lovely slightly salty flavor that's perfection in these crispy za'atar and cheese spring fried rolls.
    • Akkawi: A mild white cheese that's one of the most common in Middle Eastern baking (both sweet and savory). It's a really good melting cheese and will give a slightly sweeter taste to compliment your za'atar.
    • Feta or White Cheese: Another non-melting cheese, but the saltiness in feta and other types of white cheese go really well with za'atar and are commonly used in Middle Eastern pastries.
    • Kashskaval: One of my favorite yellow cheeses. It has a unique flavor with a hint of olive oil so it's naturally one of my favorite za'atar pairings. It also melts beautifully.

    FAQs

    What is a spring roll wrapper made of?

    Spring roll wrappers are really thin square-shaped pastry sheets that are made of wheat flour, oil, and salt. They're most common in Asian cuisines like Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, and Korean, where they're usually stuffed with vegetables or meat. You'll also find something similar in Middle Eastern and Indian cuisines, but they're folded into a triangle shape and called samosas.

    What is the difference between egg roll wrappers and spring roll wrappers?

    Egg roll wrappers are thicker than spring roll wrappers. Egg roll wrappers are doughy and made with wheat flour and eggs whereas spring roll wrappers are made from wheat flour, oil, and salt.

    Can you deep-fry frozen spring rolls?

    Yes, frozen spring rolls and frozen eggs rolls can be deep-fried directly from the freezer. If the oil is too hot, however, the outer wrapper will brown too quickly before the inside gets thoroughly cooked. Just make sure to adjust the oil temperature.

    Equipment

    • A deep frying pan
    • Slotted spoon or frying spatula
    • Paper towels
    • Plate

    Storage

    Spring rolls can be made ahead and frozen for up to 4 months. Separate spring roll wrappers with parchment paper in a freezer-friendly container. Thaw for 1 hour then fry.

    Delicious Middle Eastern Appetizers

    • batata harra garlic and cilantro fried potatoes
      Batata Harra (Lebanese Garlic Cilantro Potatoes)
    • homemade labneh in a bowl
      Homemade Lebanese Labneh Dip From Milk
    • fried beef sambousek on a plate
      Lebanese Beef Sambousek
    • easy fried cheese samosas
      Cheese Sambousek
    • close up red pepper hummus
      Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
    • fried ground beef samosas
      Beef Samosas
    • close up view of cauliflower florets
      Fried Cauliflower Florets (No Batter)
    • creamy and light hummus
      Creamy Vitamix Chickpea Hummus (Easy & Authentic)

    Join The Tribe

    Subscribe to The Matbakh Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or Pinterest pages. We also have a saucy newsletter.

    📋 Recipe

    cheese and zaatar spring rolls

    Fried Cheese and Za'atar Spring Rolls

    Author: Samara
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: Middle Eastern
    Prep: 15 minutes mins
    Cook: 15 minutes mins
    Total: 30 minutes mins
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate Email
    Servings 20 spring rolls
    These fried cheese and za'atar spring rolls make the perfect quick appetizer. They take less than 30 minutes to make and are a hit at any party.

    Ingredients
     
    US Customary - Metric

    • 20 square spring roll wrappers 7½" or 20 cm wide
    • 2 cups shelal cheese or mozzarella cheese see note 1
    • ¼ cup za'atar
    • oil for frying

    Instructions

    • Thaw spring roll wrappers.
    • Place a tablespoon of cheese and a teaspoon of za'atar on the bottom edge of the wrapper, leaving some space on the sides. 
    • Fold the edges over the filling and roll tightly. 
    • Seal by dipping your finger in water, then place the spring rolls seam side down while you finish rolling them all.
    • Heat the oil. You'll need just enough to submerge the spring rolls in (you'll know it's ready when you place the back of a wooden spoon in and the oil starts to bubble).
    • In batches, drop the spring rolls in, stirring while they fry until golden. Remove spring rolls with a slotted spoon. Place the cooked spring rolls on a paper towel and repeat. 

    Notes

    1. Other types of cheeses that work well for fried spring rolls are: mozzarella, kashkaval, feta cheese, akkawi, and halloumi.
    2. You don't need to deep fry, just add enough oil to barely submerge the spring rolls. 
    3. Spring rolls can be made ahead and frozen. Just thaw prior to frying.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 spring roll | Calories: 100 kcal | Carbohydrates: 8 g | Protein: 4 g | Fat: 4 g | Saturated Fat: 0 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4 g | Trans Fat: 0 g | Cholesterol: 9 mg | Sodium: 210 mg | Fiber: 0 g | Sugar: 0 g

    More Middle-Eastern & Mediterranean Appetizer Recipes

    • fire roasted eggplant dip with garlic and mint
      Mediterranean Grilled Eggplant Dip
    • quinoa tabbouleh parsley salad close up
      Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad
    • baked chicken teriyaki meatballs on a bed of sushi rice
      Baked Chicken Teriyaki Meatballs
    • eggplant fatteh
      Vegetarian Eggplant Fatteh (Fattet Batinjan)

    About Samara

    Hi! My name is Samara Alkhammach. I’m half Syrian, half Palestinian, with a few other nationalities in the mix. I was born and raised in Kuwait, and currently live in Cairo, Egypt. I have a deep love for yoga, art, the kitchen, and bringing people together through them all.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 1 vote

      Leave A Comment Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Soha

      June 21, 2021 at 7:03 pm

      5 stars
      Great combo with za’atar spice and shredded cheese. So yummy

      Reply
      • Lily

        June 21, 2021 at 7:44 pm

        Thanks for the comment and so glad you liked it!

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    lily at the matbakh

    I'm Lily

    I'm an American Lebanese living in Texas. My kitchen, or matbakh, is a hodgepodge of recipes from the U.S. and Mediterranean region.

    ABOUT ME

    Mediterranean Desserts

    • basbousa semolina cake with honey and yogurt
      Basbousa Semolina Cake
    • baklava rolls
      Walnut Baklava Rolls
    • mafroukeh close up
      Mafroukeh Pistachio Dessert With Cream
    • pumpkin cake with cream cheese icing.
      Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

    Footer

    Stay Connected

    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
    • X

    ↑ back to top

    Legal

    Privacy

    Terms

    Accessibility

    About

    The Matbakh

    About Me

    Med Diet

    Resources

    Shop

    Recipes

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2020 - 2025 Amooni Media LLC

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.